Thursday, September 15, 2011

Day 21: Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is like Uma Thurman in the back seat of the Pussy Wagon saying, "Wiggle your big toe."

Actually there is more to it than that, but just getting your mind to transfer to your toes "wiggle" is a little harder than you think. These toes haven't moved in about 3 weeks, so I actually felt that brain message travel down my legs and to my toes to get them to move. That is one part of physical therapy, getting these toes to move when you tell them too. Another part is manually moving them so that the joint loosens. Also that scar running over the joint ain't helping, so it also about massaging the scar to get that loosened up as well.

By the end of it, my toes got a thorough thrashing. First she started out by having me wiggle my toes. Then she bent them herself. Up and down, up and down. Then she massaged the skin around the scar. Then I had to bend my toes against her pushing. This routine when on several times. We also worked my ankles, bending up and down, in and out, against her pushing. She did all this on my right foot first, and before she started on my left foot she had me move both of them around and bend my toes on my own to feel the difference between the two. And there was quite a difference. The one she hadn't worked on was so stiff compared to the one she had. And this was all in about 15 minutes.

The pain was quite bearable (at first). It is a good pain, like feeling a burn when you stretch a muscle, or massaging a stiff neck. Toward the very end though, the toe joints had had enough, and they actually hurt when she bent them, and I told her so, so she stopped. She said that is should feel good, not bad.

After all that bending, I got some ultrasound therapy. That was like a "Happy Ending" to a massage. (Even more like it, they have to lube up your whole foot to do the ultrasound.) Just like with the bone stimulator, I couldn't feel the ultrasound, but it felt good to have this device rubbed all over the foot, on the top, around the ankles, on the soles. When she first put the gel on my feet it was cold, which felt good, and then my feet warmed up with the ultrasound, and that felt even better. I think it was about 10 minutes per foot. Whew, what a treat.

Physical therapy wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, so I am actually looking forward to my next appointment on Monday. I am still not weight-bearing so we can't do any walking exercises. That will hopefully come soon though. . .

Unfortunately, I have a tiny quarter inch infection on my left most incision. I hadn't noticed it yesterday when my feet were out, so it must be quite recent. She told me not worry too much because it is so small, just keep it clean and it should be fine in no time. We'll see. I'll keep it monitored. My boyfriend has the camera, so I'll take a photo as soon as I get it back.

1 comment:

I had the ultrasound done on my face when I was going through TMJ disorder physical therapy sessions a few months ago. It was pretty much amazing. She would put all that cold gel on my face and then the knobby ultrasound would just be rubbed in a pattern over my jaw bone & up to my temples and make everything warm and relaxed. SO GOOD. It was like the special treat at the end, almost like they know it's the best part, the reward...my face felt all melty after the session.

Isometric exercises are pretty taxing but ultimately they feel really good when the muscles are so tight or in your case, weak. Push/Pull stuff is pretty much only especially good feeling when it's your neck though. I imagine the toe stuff isn't the best. But...then you get...the ULTRASOUND!! yeay. Sounds like you are recovering fast!